Combination snow plow and blower



Jan. 15, 1957 E. A. KIECKER ETAL COMBINATION SNOW PLOW AND BLOWER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 29, i952 INVENTOR Era/h 14. lf/ec/rer Theodore 6 45am BY QOMm.alnn

ORNEY Jan. 15, 1957 E. A. KIECKER EIAL 9 3 COMBINATION SNOW PLOW AND BLOWER Filed Oct. 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Era/h r4; M'ec/rer' Theadare G Zarige M m fiomww 1957 E. A. KIECKER ETAL COMBINATION SNOW PLOW AND BLOWER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 29, 1952 INVENTOR fr /n A hfec/rer Theodore G Zange QBM m mw COMBINATION SNOW- PEOW'AND BLOWER A. Kiecker, Fairfax, and Theodore .G. Lange, Hector,

Application October 29,1952, Serial N0. --317,39'4' 9 Claims. (CI. 37 43).

This invention relates to an improvement in. plows and deals particularly with a plow useful in removing.

snow and the like.

An .ob'jectof'the present invention lies in the provision of aplow which is extremely efiective inaemoving snow. The plow includes a rotorcapable of blowing; the snow a considerable distance from the plow.. The device includes a rotor housinginto which the. snow is. fed andv a plurality of discharge openings through which the snow isblown.

A feature o-f'the present invention lies in the provision ofa' plurality ofl'snoW. forcing blades forwardly of. the rotor. force ittowardthe. blower. The bloweracts upon the snow'toiforce'itthroughone ofthe outletop'eningsof the housingand'lis' capableof blowing the snow a sufiicient.

distance" fromth'e.'plowto prevent" the margins of. the plowed"uarea' from beingbuilt up. substantially by the plowed snow.

Afeatureofthepresent'invention lies in the particular mechanisnr-employed'forcontrolling the housing outlets; The outlets are provided with closures which are connected" to move in unison, oneclosure" opening' as the otherclosure closes: The operating'mechanism' is such as to lock the closures in their 'extreme'positions:

A feature ofthepresent inventiorr lies" iir the" parti'cular" locking means employed i for" controllingjthe' closures; Each closure' is pivot-ally supported adiacent to; its opening.an'dispivotally connectedby'alink' to a commomlever; Thislever is in turn connected by a; li-irk toa crank arm; Theproportion' of 'the-levers is such as 'to bring the crank arm and its linkto a dead center position in'hothextreme-positions of the-closures: Thus the two" closuresare' effectively locked in their extreme positions-.-

Afrirther feature=0fthe'-present invention resides in the stu-rdi-ness of constructionand the strengthof the apparatus; The blades-whieh direct the-snow to' the rotor are curvedin such manner as to-rolhthesnow asit travelsrearwardly. The curved blades areconstruoted' of heavy materialand-are reinforced by gusset plates which assist in hol-di'ngthe blades in their proper form.

These and other objects and novel features of thepresent invention will bemore clearly nand' fu llysetforth in 1 medial-lowing specification and 1 claims;

Invthe drawings forminga part of thespecifieation:

higuresl isa tog;qgtl-arr-vi'ew of 'thepl-ow attached to a tractor:

Figures-Lissa .rear: perspeetivewiew of the plow) Figure 3 is a rear elevationtviewaofithe plow.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showingethe controls invazdiiferent position;

Figure? 57 is'saclbngitudinals sectional view-= htroughz the plow..

'Ihe'rplow issindieated:in! general by, thezlettersA'v and is nonnally;drawrr:by arrzimplement suchzamattractorz Bi The:tractonB may-'be-zofiany suitableztypexor designgbm These blades tendto break up the snow andto 2,777,218 Pi atented Jan; 1 5, 1957 2: preferably, is. providechwith.- a: take-0& shaft. at its. rear extremity. The-.tractor. B: isprovided with rearwheels 10 whieharemountedupon an :axle. Within theaxle hous-.- ingllt. Arpaircfiarngle brackets 12 are.b\olted or other.- wise. secured torthe: axle housing. 11: The angle brackets. 12 are providedv wiflhrearwardly extending. flanges 13 which. extend inparallellrelationship. A. pair: of rear-' wardly extending parallelldraw barsrldare provided with bifurcated'forwardends' 15 which are pivotallycon.- nectedito the angle brackets. 12 by, pivot bolts. 16 or other suitable means.

The tractor is also normally providedLwith. apair of pivotally supported'arms 17'whi'ch. are pivotally mount+ ed'on a suitable shaft shownrfragmentarily at.19.. These. arms lT-are rotatahly' supported to' rotate about. their. common or aligned Theends of the-arms areconnected by links 20 to-suitahle lugsvz'l on the draw bars- 141 The links 20"are provided'withparallel. ends'r22.

and 23 which connect the arms to the draw bars. If. preferred, chains or cables may he usedin placeof-fthe links 20. When. the arms 17' arerotated'in one direc: tion" the-draw. bars 1'4" are swung upwardly, while rota: tion of the arm ITin'the opposite directionswings the draw bars 14 downwardl'y.

The' draw'bars 14 areconnect'ed atitheir rear end's to a. rotor'housing'z lf This housing 24'is provided'with a generally/cylindrical 'shell. 26 which is designedto. encircle the rotor'which will he later' described; The bottom of the'cylimirieal shell issnpported on or slightly; abovethesurfaceoFtheroadover which the glow is drawn by a runner 25 best illustratedin Figures 2" and 5 ohtlie-drawings. The'runnerZS'is"provided'with a blunt forward endand'air upturned rear. end. 26'. The hous? iirg 24 also provided with. a circlar' rear. panel 27. The" front of the 'housiirg is forthe most part open, but a relatively narrow panel 29 is" provided across the. for.- ward face of the housing 24*at'the upperextremity there.- of? A* pair of-outwardly divergingbladesfai) "and 31 are secured to thehousing'24' to directsnow into the open for; ward end of thehousi'ng: Thesehla'des Shareprovidd witli cutting edges*3'2' and- 33 along their lower end and arecurv ed so-aetoroll the snow as it is engagedhythe blades; The blades= are shaped" somewhat similarly to the-blade of a roadgrader; But are purposely formed to provide/a rolling action to' the snow as thi'saction" tends toprevent the packing=ofthe snow andmakes it s0me-' what easier to-handle';

A braceaframe: indicated? in: general by the numeral 31 is: secured" to: the: draw bars 1'4 and to the blades 3'0 and 31'- atIthe': upper:extremity/thereof; As hest indicated in Figure: of the": drawings: the frame 31' includes a horizontally extending" angle member 35 which extends beneathzthe draw harsz 'l'm and-overlies the blades 30* and 31 extending: somwhat beyond thezupper edges: of" the blades. A truss shapedEang-le' member 36issecured at itsiends. torthei ends'r'of! the 'angle; member 35' andis bent to=overlies the:v d'raw bars". 14.. The: angle members- 35" and Sfithusformta trussedcbeam possessingthe-necee sary: strengthi to: hold: the? hladee in proper relation. Taperedigqissetrplateszfli are secured: t o-the frame- 34 and to the outer or rear surfaces of the'zbl ades 3ll and 3'lY so; ass to form: a" means: of. rigidly connecting the: frame to the'bladest.

Asindicated'in Figure:2zoi thedrawings ani-anglerein;

3 forcingtmember 39 extends-transversely across the: rear 3 rear end by the bearing and extends forwardly axially of the housing 24. i a

A bracket 43 extends downwardly from the angle memher 35 and acts as a support for a front bearing 44. This bearing 44 encircles the rotor shaft 42 and assists in supporting the same. A universal joint 45 is provided with a rearwardly extending collar 46 which encircles the forward end of the rotor shaft 42 and is secured thereto by a shear pin 47. The purpose of this pin is to provide a safety connection in the event the rotor strikes an object which prevents its rotation. In such an event the pin will shear without injury to the remainder of the mechanism.

A plate 49 extends between the angle member 35 and the angle member 36 forwardly of the rotor housing. An upwardly bowed cover plate 50 extends between the draw bars 14, this cover plate acting somewhat as an extension of the upper end of the housing but being arranged at a somewhat different level. The cover plate 50 connects with the front wall 29 of the housing at the I lower edge thereof. This panel 49 as well as the front wall 29 assists in limiting the movement of snow into the upper portion of the rotor housing. These walls are of particular importance as they have been found instrumental in preventing the rotor from being clogged with snow and thereby being rendered inoperable.

A rotor 51 is mounted upon the rotor shaft 42 within the housing 24 and is designed for forcing snow through either of a pair of outlet openings which will be later described. The rotor 51 is preferably provided with three or four angularly spaced blades for acting upon the snow. When the rotor is rotated by the tractor it has been found capable of blowing the snow approximately 150 feet through the air.

A propeller 52is provided with a hub 53 encircling,

the rotor shaft 42 in front of the rotor shaft housing. A second propeller 54 is also provided with a hub 55 encircling the shaft 42 and the blades of the propeller 54 are preferably arranged at right angles to the blades 51. A third propeller 56 is mounted forwardly of the bearing 44 on the rotor shaft 42. This propeller 56 is supported by a hub 57 and is preferably provided with blades which are shorter than those of the propellers 52 and 54 due to the fact that this propeller is forwardly of the panel 49.

The universal joint 45 is connected to a drive shaft 59 which is extensible in length in preferred form, including a tubular member 60 and a shaft 61 in telescoping rela tion splined together to rotate in unison. joint 62 is mounted at the forward end of the drive shaft element 59, this universal joint 62 being equipped with a suitable socket portion or connector portion 63 which is engageable with the power take-offof the tractor.

The periphery of the cylindrical wall 26 of the housing 24 is provided with two angularly spaced openings, one

of which is indicated at 64 and the other of which is indicated at 65. A closure 66 is provided with a pivot shaft 67 supported by spaced cars 69 on opposite sides of the housing. The closure 66 is shown in open position in Figure 3 of the drawings and is shown in closed position in Figures 2 and 4. A similar closure 70 is provided with a pivot shaft 71 along one edge thereof pivotally supported between spaced ears 72 at the front and rear of the housing 24. This closure is shown in open position in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings and in closed position in Figure 3.

A lever 73 is pivotally connected to the rear wall 27 of the housing 24 at 74. One end of the lever 73 is pivotally connected at 75 to a pair of links 76 and 77. The link 76 is pivotally connected at 79 to a pivot shaft 80 connected to the closure 66 for movement therewith at a point substantially spaced from the closure pivot 67. The link77 is pivotally connected at 81 to a pivot shaft 82 secured to the closure 70 at a point spaced from the closure hinge or pivot 71.

A universal A crank shaft 83 is pivotally supported by suitable bearings 84 and is provided with a crank arm 89 supporting an off-set pivot 85. This pivot 85 connects a link 86 to the erank shaft, the link being pivoted at 87 to the lever 73. Rotation of the crank shaft 83 acts to rotate the crank arm 89 which in turn acts through the link 86 to pivot the lever 73 about its fixed pivot 74.

As indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the crank arm 89 is pivotal into substantial alignment with the link 86 in one extreme position of the lever 73. When in this aligned position the link 86 is in dead center position relative to the crank arm 89 or is slightly past the dead center position. In this position the link 77 has drawn the closure 70 into closed position and the link 76 has swung the closure 66 into the open position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The lever 73 is held from pivotal movement in one direction by the fact that it has reached the extremity of the crank arm 89 and link 86 and is held from movement in the opposite direction due to the fact that the two members are in dead center arrangement.

When the shaft 83 is swung in a reverse direction, the crank arm 89 is moved into the position shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. When the crank arm 89 is in side by side relation to the link 86, the lever 73 is acted through the link 76 to close the closure 66 and has acted through the link 77 to swing the closure 70 into open position. When in the extreme position shown in Figure 4, the lever 73 cannot swing in one direction due to the fact that thecrank arm 89 has reached its center. position with respect to the link 86. The lever 73 cannot swing in the opposite direction for much the same reasons as the link 86 is pulling directly against the crank arm 89 in a direction toward the supporting shaft 83. Thus in both positions the closures are locked from movement by the dead center arrangement between the crank arm 89 and the link 86.

The forward end of the shaft 83 is connected by a suitable hinge joint or universal joint 90 to a forwardly extending operating rod 91 provided with an angularly turned forward extremity 93. The operator may grasp this forward end 93 and rotate the arm 91 to change the position of the closures.

The operation of the closures has been explained and should require no further explanation. The tractor is connected to the forward end of the plow and the plow is drawn over the surface to be cleared of snow. The snow is engaged by the blades and is rolled rearwardly and inwardly until it is broken up by the propeller blades described and is driven toward the rotor 51. The rotor draws in air which carries the snow into the casing and blows it through the selected outlet at a sufficient speed to force the snow approximately feet through the air. As a result the snow being blown becomes distributed over the area and does not tend to pile up in a high bank on either side of the path being cleared. The plow acts equally well in dry snow or in wet snow and does not bridge across the rotor opening or become air bound within the rotor housing. This is believed partially due to the fact that the snow cannot enter the housing near the upper extremity thereof.

in accordance with the patent statutes, the principles of construction and operation of the snow plow have been described, and while it has been endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, it is desired to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

We claim:

1. A snow plow and blower, including a rotor housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing, said housing having a. pair of angularly spaced openings in the periphery thereof, a pair of alternately operable closures hingedly secured to said housing and movable from a position to close respectively said openings and to a position to open the same, locking link means connecting said closures to operate the same simultaneously and in unison to relative alternate opening and closing positions, said means including a lever hingedly secured to the housing, means hingedly connecting said lever to'each of said closures, a crank supported by said housing, and a link connecting said crank to said lever, said crank and link being substantially parallel in both extreme positions of said lever.

2. A snow plow and blower assembly comprising in combination a rotor housing, a rotatable shaft extending through said housing and projecting forwardly with respect thereto, said housing having a front side with a rotor opening therein, side walls, a back wall, a cover extending from said rotor opening, and a front wall panel depending from said cover blocking the upper extremity across said rotor opening in spaced relationship thereto, a rotor mounted on said shaft within said housing, a series of propellers of decreasing diameters mounted on said shaft over a portion of which said cover and blocking panel extend, a pair of angularly spaced openings in the periphery of said rotor housing, a pair of alternately operable closures hingedly secured to said housing and movable from a position to close respectively said openings and to a position to open the same, an interlocking linkage and lever means connected to said closures to operate the same in unison.

3. A snow plow and blower including in combination a rotor housing, said housing including side walls, a back wall, a front wall provided with an opening therein and having a wall portion thereof blocking the upper extremity of said housing, a cover plate connected to the upper end of said housing, and a wall panel depending from said cover plate in spaced relationship to said opening in said rotor housing front wall and partially blocking the opening, a rotor rotatably supported within said side walls, back wall, and open front wall forming said housing, said housing having a pair of angularly spaced openings therein in its periphery at different elevations, a pair of closures associated with said openings hingedly connected at spaced points to said housing for respective and relative movement between an open position and a closed position, and linkage means connecting said closures for alternately operating the same in their respective and relative movement between an open position and closed position.

4. A snowplow and blower including in combination a rotor housing, said housing including cylindrical side walls, a back wall, a front wall provided with an opening therein and having a wall portion blocking the upper extremity of said housing, a bowed cover plate at the upper end of said housing, and a panel depending from said extension in spaced relationship to said front wall and partially blocking the opening therein, a rotor rotatably supported Within said housing, said housing having a pair of angularly spaced openings in the periphery thereof, a pair of alternately operable closures hingediy secured to said housing and movable from a position to close respectively said openings and to a position to open the same, locking link means connecting said closures to operate the same alternately to open and closed positions said means including a lever means pivotally secured to the housing and linkage means hingedly connecting said lever means to each of said closures to provide for alternate opening and closing of said pair of openings.

5. The structure described in claim 4 and including a shaft for actuating said lever pivotally supported by said housing, a link pivotally secured to said lever, and pivotal means on said shaft eccentric with respect to the axis thereof connected to said link to actuate said lever and provide for relative alternative opening and closing of said pair of openings.

6. The structure described in claim 4 and including a crank having a crank arm, and a link pivotally connecting said crank arm and said lever, said crank being pivotal through substantially one hundred eighty degrees between one position of the lever in which one closure is relatively closed and another position of said lever in which the closure is relatively closed.

7. A snowplow and blower including in combination a rotor housing, said housing including cylindrical side walls, a back wall and a front wall having an opening therein and a wall portion thereof blocking the upper extremity of said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing, a drive shaft for said rotor, a plurality of blades of different radius mounted on said drive shaft, a cover extending from said housing and over a portion of saidplurality of blades, a panel depending from said cover mounted forwardly of said rotor housing and extending downwardly between said plurality of blades in spaced relationship to the opening in said front wall and partially blocking the opening, said'housing having outlet openings in spaced relationship in said side walls, a pair of closures associated with said openings hingedly connected at spaced points to said housing for respective and relative movement between an open position and a closed position, and lever and linkage means connected to said closures for causing relative alternate opening and closing movements thereof. I

8. A snow plow and blower including in combination a rotor housing having a rotor opening therein, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing having blades of one radius, a second rotor means rotatably supported forwardly of said first rotor having blades of a lesser radius,

a cover extending forwardly from said housing over said second rotor means having a depending front wall panel in spaced relationship to said housing and blocking the upper extremity thereof across said rotor opening in said rotor housing, and a third rotor means rotatably supported forwardly of said second rotor means having blades of a lesser radius than the blades of said second rotor means.

9. A snowplow and blower including in combination a rotor housing having inlet and outlet openings therein, a rotatable shaft extending through said inlet opening and projecting forwardly with respect to said housing, a cover extending forwardly from said housing above said inlet opening and having a depending front wall panel extending transversely thereof spaced forwardly of the inlet opening, said depending front wall blocking the upper extremity space beneath said cover forwardly of said inlet opening, a rotor mounted on said shaft within said housing, and propeller means on said shaft forwardly of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 395,548 Corbett Jan. 1, 1889 580,004 Ruggles Apr. 6, 1897 1,177,543 Sellin et al. Mar. 28, 1916 1,522,518 Heglund Ian. 13, 1925 1,695,775 Musil et al. Dec. 18, 1928 1,701,767 Barry Feb. 12, 1929 1,791,436 Ullrich Feb. 3, 1931 1,824,662 Davidson Sept. 22, 1931 1,844,706 Wandscheer Feb. 9, 1932 1,849,296 Holmes Mar. 15, 1932 1,944,908 Shurtleil' Jan. 30, 1934 2,251,924 Drane Aug, 12, 1941 2,269,326 Wandscheer Jan. 6, 1942 2,369,293 Gotzlinger Feb. 13, 1945 2,619,746 Heaman Dec. 2, 1952 2,679,702 Berger June 1, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,685 Sweden Sept. 13, 1902 

